Bat-forming machine



1,559,513 A. C. WARD BAT FomanmA MAoHiNE Filed Jan 17. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l A. C. WARD BAT FORHING MACHINE Oer.l 27, 1925. y 1.559.513

Filed Jan. 17,-1925 I s sheets-sheet z A. c. WARD BAT FORMING MACHINE Filed Jan, 17, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wim a@ @um wumlfoz A. C. WARD BAT FORMING MACHINE lFiled Jan. 1'7. 1925 s sheets-snee: 4 y

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l Ein attenua* Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED sra'irrs PATENT/worries.'

ALBERT C. WAR-D, O'F CANONSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE-W. S. GEORGE POTTER-Y COMPANY, OF CANONS'B'UR-G, PENN'SYLVANIA.1

BAT-FORMING MACHINE.

Application filedAA January T all whom t may conce/m.' y i Be it known that I,`ALBERT C, IVARD, la citizen of the United States, residing at- Canonsburg, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, Ahave invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Bat-Forming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to a machine for use in the pottery manufacturing industry, and has more particular reference to a machine for forming what Ais known in the trade -as a bat, or in other words, for forming a mass of clay or other plastic material, -into a strip or slab of uniform thickness, whereby the same may be readily worked over the article producing mold. As far as I am aware, it has heretofore been necessary for skilled workmen to take a batch of clay and bat the same out by hand, in order to produce a uniform thickness of the` clay. This requires great skill on the-part of the workman, and considerable tinie'is consumed in the formation of ri-single bat. It very frequently occurs that the workmen fail to work the batch into a bat of uniform thicknessandl the contraction and expansion ofthe'resultant article will not be equal, and considerable breakage results. i

It is therefore the primary object ofmy inventionto provide amachine wherein bats may be automaticallyvformed, and this without requiring' the skilled workmen.

An additional object of the inventionis to provide a machine of the foregoing character, that includes high speed turn-table upon which the batch of clay is` disposed, after which the operation of the machine will occasion the-movement towardthe bat of a. spreadermember that spreads the batch over the surface of the turn table for producing a bat of vuniform thickness, the

spreader member being automatically .actuated to inoperative position Yafter the batch has been satisfactorily worked, means being also provided for automatically cutting out the/operation 1ofthe machine,immediatelyA upon movement to an inoperative position,

of the spreader blade.

A. further object is to provide automatic for breaking tlierotation of the turn 17, 1925. Serial No. 3,144.

table simultaneously 'with the automatic movement `of the spreader bla-de to inoperative position. 5

Af further salient object' is'to providea bat forming lmachine wherein the same is generallyspeaking, of simplied construcf tion, and wherein the entire operation of the ina-chine is under the control of but a single operator, and one that as above set forth may be employed by unskilled potters.

Vith the foregoing and other objects `in view, as the nature of the invention will be better understood, the same comprises the novel form, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views: Figure l is a top plan view of a bat forniing machine, constructed in accordance with the present invention.'

Figure 2 is a side elevationalview,thereof, the spreader blade being shown as raised to inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the machine, the spreader blade being disclosed in the same position as shown inV Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view, taken' substantially upon the line P-t of Figure 8, the spreader blade beingshown as yhaving been automatically movedv to a position in slight spaced relation with respect to the turntable, which is the position of the spreader blade, just priori tov the` automatic .movement of the saine to inoperative position. Y i

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 5-,5 of Figure 3, and looking downwardly,-in ythe direction of the arrow. Y c A i Figure 6 is anvenlarged fragmentary-horizontal section, through 4a certain portion of the machine, for disclosing lmore clearly the automatic bracingmechanisin forthe turn table Y, f

Figure. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken .substantially upontheline 7- 7 of Figure 4, for-moreclearly, disclosing the pivotal supporting means for, the spreader blade carryingr structure.-

lIl() Figure 8 is a horizontal section ofthe spreader blade carrying arm per se.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the mena ber of the arm to which the spreader blade is directly adjustably attached.

Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective of the spreader blade per se.

Figure 11 is a sectional view through a certain operating shaft of the machine for disclosing in side elevation a cam dise, whereby the spreader blade, is automatically moved slowly from ino-perative to operative position with respect to the turn table, during the operation of the machine.

Figure 12 is a similar view, disclosing in side elevation a cam disc that automatically moves the lspreader blade in a vertical direction downwardly toward the turn table, in a relatively slow manner, and

Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective of an arm that is included in a unit of construction for moving a power belt to undriving position, and for operating a braking mechanism.y for automatically stopping the rotation of the turn table simultaneously with the movement to undriving position of said belt.

Now having particular reference to the drawings, it will be seen that my novel bat forming machine constitutes the provision of a suitable base 5,' secured to which and extending vertically therefrom in parallel spaced relation is a pair of standards 6-6, upon the upper end of which is a table or platform 7, one end of which extends considerably beyond the vadjacent standard, as more clearly shown in Figure 3.

Journaled at its opposite ends in suitable bearings 8 and 9, secured to the base and table or platform 7 is a vertical shaft 10, to the vupper end of which is keyed a turn table 11, of circular formation, it being constructed preferably from a composition including plaster Paris. This vertical shaft 1() is equipped with a horizontally disposed rbevelled gear 12, that has mesh with a relatively smaller bevelled gear 13, that is keyed upon the forwardY end of a horizontal shaft 14.,.suitably journaled at its forward end .in a bearing 15 that is preferably formed integral with a cross bar 16. that is anchored at its opposite end to lugs 17m17 formed integrally upon the forward edges of the standards 6 6, Figure The rear end of this horizontal shaft 14 is journaled within a bearing 18, carried by the upper end of a Yvertically disposed standard 19. that is suitably anchored at its lower end to the rear end ofthe machine base 5. Uponthe inner end of the said horizontal shaft 14 there is loosely disposed a loose pulley 20, while inwardly thereof in relatively close engagement therewith is a narrower keyed pulley 21. For engagement over these pulleys there is provided a belt 22, that in turn. trained over a relatively larger pulley 23, in alignment with the pulley 21, which is operated through the medium of a suitable source of power, not shown. Between the. standards 6 6 of the machine, said horizontal shaft 14 is equipped or formed with the worm 24. that intermeshes with a vertically disposed worm gear 25, that is keyed to a shaft 26, that extends at right angles to the horizontal shaft 14. This shaft, as more clearly disclosed in the detail sectional view, Figure 5, is journaled in bearings 27-27 formed or otherwise associated with the standards 6-6.

As far as the description has progressed, it will be apparent that when the belt 22 is trained over the keyed pulley 21, as in Figure 4, a rotation will be imparted to the shaft 14. This rotation of the shaft will consequently occasion a rotation of the vertical shaft 10, upon the upper end of which is disposed the turn table 11. The rotation of the shaft 14 will also occasion a rotation of the right angular-ly disposed shaft 26 for a purpose hereinafter more fully described. Means is provided for automatically moving the belt 22- from the key pulley 21, to the loose pulley 20, after a predetermined operation of the machine. This means comprises a rod Q8, that is disposed for horizontalsliding movement through an opening inthe bearing standard 19, and through an aligned o enine in a lug 29, formed inteoral with' D b C and pendent from the cross bar 16, which carries the foremost bearing 15, for the right angularly disposed shaft 14, Figure 4. rIhe rearmost end of this rod Q8 carries a pair of adjustably vertically extending pins 30- 30, that engage over opposite edges of the belt 22. This rod Q8 carries, at a point inwardly of the vertical bearing standard 19 a vertically disposed block 31, that is formed at its upper end with an opening, through which extends the shaft 14, whereby a. guide is provided for this slot, `during the reverse movement of the same. rlhe rod 28 is normally forced forwardly through the medium lof an expansible coil spring ,82, that surrounds the rod intermediate the bearing standard 19 and the block 3. This forward position of the rod maintains the belt 22 in engagement over the keyed pulley 21. Secured to the before-mentioned block 31 at the upper end thereof, and at one side of the same, is a vertical yoke member 33, between the arms of which is pivoted one end of a forwardly extending rock arm 34. shown in detail in Figure 13. Intermediate the ends of the rocker arm 34. the upper surface thereof is formed with a shoulder 35, and this arm is normally forced upwardly upon its pivot, through the medium of an expansible coil spring 36, that surrounds an elongated pin 37'. the upper end of which loosely extends through an opening in the rocker arm 34, and the lower end of which is rigidly connected to a rock lever 37 pivoted to "the before-mentioned block 31",' ycarried by a'belt shifting rod 28. d -i The worm gear carrying shaft 26 has keyed thereto, at a vpoint-'adjacent said worm gear and above the rocker arm 34, a disc 38 vthat is formed on its periphery with a. lug

39, that at each rotation ofthe shaft 26, engages the'shoulder 35 of the rocker arm, and occasions through the medium of the connecting blockv3l, a rearward movement of` the rd'28` which will obviously force the belt 22 upon the loose pulley 2l, at which time the operationr of the machine will cease.

19, Figure 4. Tothe opposite end of this rock lever is secured the lower end of the before-mentioned elongated pin 37.

Y The forward end-of the rocker arm 34 is bent slightly upwardly, as more' clearly shown in' Figure y13, and for engagement therewith .after the 'same has been moved rearwardly by the action of the lug 39, carried by the disc, is a pin 4l, carried. by the inner end of a rocking link 42, .pivotally secured to the adjacent standard 6. The outer end "of this rocking link .is connected, pivotally, to the upper end of a rod 43, that is, in turn,VV pivotally connected at its lower end to a foot .pedal control lever 44, pivoted to the base of the machine. normally pulled downwardly for maintaining the pin 4l out of engagement with the rocker arm 34,V through the medium of a retractile coll spring 45, anchored at one end foot Controlled lever 44.

lt will be Aobvious that after the rocker arm has lbeen moved rearwardly. by the to the rod and at the opposite end to the Vaction of the lug 39, which movement will 'actuate the belt shift-ing. rod v28, the for-- )vardly upwardly bent end of the rocker arm -will be at a position directlyvbeneath the pin 4l, of the rocking link. A deflation of the foot lever `will force the rod 43 upwardly, for 'i consequently rocking the link, which movement will occasion the depression. of the rock arm, for disengaging the shoulder 34 thereof fromthe lug 39 of the disc 38. The spring 32, surrounding the. shift-ing rod 28 will obviously move this shift-ing rod into forward position 'for again moving the belt 22 intoy position upon the ,keyed pulley 21, at which 4time the machine willnagain begin to operate.

So that the operation of the turn table ll i' *71 is a lateral will be automatically' positively stopped at the time the pulley 22 is moved onto the l loose pulley 20, thev vertical shaft 1Ql is equilapedY with the brake drum 46, at a point beneath the bevelled gear 12, "Surrounding zsuitable 'connection 52, Figure 5.

"per reducedend of a --post 'The rod 43 isA jtionlwith the slot'invthe whereby the blade, may

. this brakef drum is a brake baiid47,"one end '487of -vwhich is anchored, tothe forward end :of a bai'"fk49,ifthatis,``itself, anchored to fthe "adjacent standard 6 of the apparatus, Figur'el. The other fend 50 of the brake band is adjustably connected to the forward end Aof a rod 51, that' extends rearwardly through suitable guides and is connected, to Athe block 3l, through the medium of a i Obviously, as the beltfsliifting rod 28 moves rearwardly, the brake rod l will4 also move rearwardly, for ycontractingi the braliebaiid 47, upon the brake drum 46.

.Reference will now be made to the batch spreader bladel and its operating mecha- "nism.k Disposed kupon the platform 7, at

lone side of theturn table 1l :is afbearing standard 53, through which extends the up- 54, said platform being provided `withf any enlarged 'circular opening?, for `this purpose;

Adjustably secured" to thei'uppef @hd '-f the post/54, that proj-ectsjthrough the'be'arings 53, isa post 55, through'the upper end of which is pivoted, as at 56, an armv57,. the rear end fof which is weighted, as at 59, for normally maintaining the armvin the raised position shown in Figures l, 2, and 3./ The forward end ofvthis armI issocketed as at 60, for receiving the `headed end,V 6.1, ofav flat and slotted pin 62." This headed end of the 'pin is maintained within thersocket ofthe arm,"throughy the medium of a set zscrew A63.

clearly sliown'in Figure 10, is designated generally 64 and comprises an elongated curved'slightlyV upwardly, 'as at 66, in order that the edge thereof will not effect a scraping action ,upon the fbatch o-fclay being worked. The lower end of the spreader blade is formed with al vertical ear 6,7 that is provided with a vertical s101168 for registraslotted'pin 62 and cured tothe. pin through Ithe inediuinof a bolt and nut connection 69.. u v I The right hand end of the horizontal shaft 26 extends througlithe bearing in the ad-I jacent standard. 6j, .and isjournaled in a suitable shafthanger that.' is secured, t0 and pendent from the platform 7 Inwardly of this hanger 70 there is keyed to; the shaft 26 a lpair of spaced cam discs designated 71 `and"7,2 respectively. Having close engagementv with thefperiphery of the cam pin 7 3 that is formed upon the beforementioned post 54, and extending at'right angles thereto as more clearly shown in `Figures 5 and The shaft 26'isdisposed through the exact lcenter 'of this cam be adjustably se- 1115.

7l as is clearly shown in Figure 11. The periphery of this disc 7l is formed with a peculiarly shaped cut-out portion 74V the point 75 of which is at direct right angles to the shaft 26. The inner end of this point terminating directly adjacent the shaft. The edge of this cut-out 74 then extends upwardly, in tangential arrangement with the shaft 26. The edge of this portion which 10 is designated 76 is slightly curved. The cam 7l rotates in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1l, and it will be obvious that when the pin 7 3 is in the position shown in this ligure, the Irotation of the cam will force the same outwardly for rotating the post 54, and consequently swinging the spreader blade carrying arm 57 horizontally inwardly toward the turn table 11. The pin 73 is maintained in such a position as to hold the spreader blade carrying arm at a point directly above the turntable as shown in Figure 4, by the engagement of the pin upon the periphery of the cam 7l between the points 0 and b of the cam. rPhe continued 251 rotation of the disc will permit the post 54 to quickly rotate in a reverse direction for swinging the blade carrying arm away from the turn table, due to the fact that as the point a of the disc reaches the pin 73, the same will quickly move inwardly toward the shaft 26 due to the presence of a retractile coil spring 77, that is anchored at one end to a rearwardly directed pin 78 carried by lthe post 54', and at its opposite end to the foremost standard 6.

The other disc 72 is mounted slightly oill center upon the shaft 26 as shown in Figure 12, and the periphery of this disc is formed with arelatively wide V-shaped cut-out 78. For engagement with ,the periphery of this disc is a pin 79 Acarried by the forward end of a rocking lever 80 that is pivotally secured as at 81, to the hanger 70 for the prou jecting end of the shaft 26'l The rearmost 4 end of this rocking lever 80 is adjustably connected to the rearmost end of the spreader blade carrying arm 57, through the medium of a connecting rod 82. As this cam 72 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Figure 12, one edge of the cut-out 78 will engage the pin 79, for obviously rocking the lever 80 upon its pivot, for swinging the spreader blade carrying arm vertically downwardly, in a relatively slow manner.

- The cam surface of the disc 72 will move the blade carrying arm still further downwardly, in a much slower manner for bringing the spreader blade 64 into engagement with the batch of material upon the turn table, and insomuch as the arm 57 is moving inwardly at the time it is moving downwardly, due to the position of the cams with respect to each other, the batch of clay upon the turn table will be effectively spread 65 across substantially the entire area thereof,

it being well to know that the forward edge of the blade terminates at approximately the dead center of the turn table, whereby the entire batch is worked upon. The angle of the blade, with respect to the turn table may be varied, as may also the downward swinging movement of the blade carrying arms due to the adjustable connection 82, between the rocking lever 8O and the blade carrying arm. ends of the rod 82 and the blade carrying arm 57 and the rocking lever 80 are of a pivotal nature, in order that the blade carrying arm may be moved inwardly simultaneously with the downward movement thereof. At the time the point c of the cam 72 reaches the pin 79l of the rocking lever 80, the arm 57 will quickly raise to the position shown in Figure S, due to the presence of theweight 59upon the rear end thereof.

It will thus be seen that by depressing the foot pedal lever 44 the machine will be brought into operation and as soon as the machine begins to operate, the spreader blade carrying arm will quickly move inwardly toward the turn table and then slowly downwardly, in order that the blade will spread the batch across the surface of the turn table for producing the bat which after the lnachine automatically ceases operating, may be removed by the operator, and a new batch of clay disposed upon the table.

It is believed that from the foregoing description when considered in conjunction with the drawings, the complete operation of themachine will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and even though I have herein sho-wn and described certain detail elements as comprising the bat forming machine, it is nevertheless to be understood that departures may be had from the specific structural elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what is claimed is:

l. Ina bat forming machine of the character described, a turn table, a spreader blade, means for rotating the turn table, means for moving the spreader blade slowly inwardly toward and slowly downwardly toward the central point of the turntable during the rotation of the same, means for automatically quickly raising the spreader blade from the material, and additional means for moving the spreader blade longitudinally to one side of the turn table.

2. In a bat forming machine of the character described, a turn table, a spreader blade, means for rotating the turn table, means for moving the spreader blade slowly inwardly toward and slowly downwardly toward the central point of the turntable during the rotation of the same, means for automatically quickly raising the spreader The connections between the 7 blade from the material, additional means for moving the spreader blade longitudinally to one side of the turn table, and automatic means for cutting out the operation of the machine after a predetermined number ot revolutions of the turn table.

3. In a bat forming machine of the character described, a turn table, a spreader blade, means for rotating the turn table, means for moving the spreader blade slowly inwardly toward and slowly downwardly toward the central point of the turntable during the rot-ation of the same, means for automatically quickly raising the spreader blade from the material, additional means lor moving the spreader blade longitudinally to one side of the turn table, automatic means for cutting out the operation of the machine after a predetermined number of revolutions of the turn table, and automatic means for 'preventing further rotation of the turn table at the time of cutting out the operation of the machine.

4. In a bat forming machine of the character described,` a turn-table, a spreader blade, means for rotating the turn table, means for moving the spreader blade into operative association with material on the turntable during the rotation of said turn table, means for raising the spreader blade :trom the material, and additional means for moving the spreader blade longitudinally to one side of the turn table.

5. In a bat forming machine of the character described, a turn table, a spreader blade, means for rotating the turn table, means for moving the spreader blade into active association with the material on the turn table to evenly spread the same there,-V on, means for automatically raising the spreader blade from the material, additional means for moving the spreader blade longitudinally to one side of the turn tables, and automatic means for cutting out the operation of the machine after apredetermined number of revolutions of the turn table.

6. In a bat forming machine of the character described, a turn table, a spreader blade, means for rotating the turn table, means for moving-the spreader blade slowly inwardly toward and slowly downwardly toward the center points ci the turn table during the rotation of the same, means for automatically quickly raising the spreader blade from the material, and automatic means for cutting out the operation of the machine after a predetermined number of revolutions of the turn table. 7 In a bat forming` machine of the character described, a turn table, a spreader blade, means for'rotating the turn table, means forv moving the spreader blade-slowly inwardly toward and slowly downwardly toward the center points of the turn table during the rotation of the same, means for automatically Vquickly blade from the material, automatic means for cutting out the operation of the machine after a predetermined number of revolutions of the turn table, and automatic means l'or preventing further rotation of the turn table at the time of cutting out the operation of the machine.

8'. In a bat forming machine of the character described, a turn table, a spreader blade, means for rotating the turn table, means for moving the spreader blade slowly inwardly toward and slowly downwardly toward the center points of the turn table during the rotation-of the same, means 'for automatically quickly raising the spreader blade from the material, and automatic means for preventing further rotation of the turn table after the completion ofthe operation of the machine.v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALBERT c. WARD.

raising the spreaderl soA 

